UK holds 1st Olympic safety exercises since riots

By AP Sports Writer

Published: September 22, 2011, 12:11 AM

LONDON (AP) -- British authorities are holding their first major planning exercise for the 2012 London Olympics since riots in the capital last month forced police to reassess their plans for the games.

Detective chief superintendent Alaric Bonthron of the Metropolitan Police tells The Associated Press that the government's emergency committee started a three-day exercise on Wednesday to simulate responses to potential crises during the Olympics.

Bonthron says "we are going through the whole gamut -- from food poisoning to terrorism through to heat waves and rail disruption."

The violence began after the fatal shooting of a man by police in north London. Police struggled to contain the violence that left a trail of looted stores and burned-out buildings across London and led to thousands of arrests.